Brassiere

ABSTRACT

A brassiere is provided with a front piece containing two breast cups, with two side pieces, which can be connected together with a back closure, and with two shoulder straps which extend from the upper side edge of the breast cups to the back area of the side pieces. The breast cups are stiffened, especially in their lower and/or side areas. It is provided in accordance with the invention that for stiffening the breast cups in their side area at least one rod-shaped supporting element is arranged, which extends, for example, from the lower side edge of the breast cup at an angle upward to a point on the upper edge of the breast cup adjacent to an attachment of the shoulder strap.

This nonprovisional application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a) to German Patent Application No. 20 2007 006 700.3, which was filed in Germany on May 7, 2007, and which is herein incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention pertains to a brassiere with a front piece containing two breast cups, with two side pieces, which can be connected together in a back closure, and with two shoulder straps that extend from the upper side edge of the breast cups to the back area of the side pieces.

2. Description of the Background Art

Brassieres for supporting and shaping the female bust are generally known and used worldwide in multiple variants. They usually have a structure consisting of a front piece, which essentially contains two breast cups that can be formed in a great many variations and that are connected together via a center tie bar. The outer side edges of the front piece are each followed by side pieces, the free ends of which can be connected together by a back closure in the back area of an individual wearing the brassiere. Since such brassieres are expected to not only serve the essential function of bearing the weight of and supporting the breasts, but also shaping them, they are provided with shoulder straps in the form of supporting straps, which connect the breast cups over the shoulders with the back areas of the side pieces.

To achieve appropriate shaping of the breasts, brassieres are available in which the breast cups are cushioned, especially in their lower area, to lift a small breast and thus make it seem fuller; such brassieres are known and commercially available as “push-up” brassieres. In this connection it is also known to arrange a pocket in the lower area of the breast cups in which pillow-like enhancement inserts can be placed if wanted.

To shape the normal or full breast, which has a tendency to hang outward to the side, toward the arms, brassieres are also known which are stiffened by shaping inserts especially in these areas. If nonelastic textile materials are used for these inserts, these are usually relatively thick, thus look very bulky, and nevertheless have a tendency to lose their shape after only a few washings. If flat blanks of conventional polyester material are used for these stiffeners, this material often appears too firm and easy to fold. A nylon blank is fairly soft; when it is bent, it does not return to its previous shape.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Against this background, an object of the invention is based on the task of creating a brassiere that has the usual supporting and shaping properties for achieving an optimal bust even in the case of prolonged use and frequent washing.

In an embodiment, means is provided for supporting and shaping the breast provided in the lower and side areas of the breast cups on one hand includes rod-shaped supporting elements, and on the other hand of flat supporting elements, which are connected to the material for the breast cups or incorporated into them. In accordance with the invention, the rod-shaped supporting elements may be used individually or in combination, to achieve an optimal effect depending on the area of application.

Whereas the rod-shaped supporting elements may be made of materials that are known, for example, from the area of stiffening wires for brassieres or for stiffening corsets, the flat supporting elements preferably consist of a material that is made of fibers of polytrimethylene terephthalate (PTT), a type of polyester, which are not made into a flat shape by weaving, but by bonding using a coating of plastic or another binder. This material, which is known under the trademarked name of “Solotex,” can be brought by heat treatment into a certain shape, which it retains without deformation even after a large number of washings.

Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus, are not limitive of the present invention, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front view and

FIG. 2 is an interior view of a brassiere designed in accordance with the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In FIG. 1 a brassiere in accordance with the invention is shown in a front view. The brassiere 1 has a front part 2 with two breast cups 3 for receiving the breasts. The breast cups 3, the structure of which will be described below, are connected together via a center tie bar 4.

At the lower edge 5 of the breast cups 3, approximately following the lower breast line, a stiffening wire may be arranged in a channel 6 known in and of itself. The channel 6 is connected, for example by sewing, with the breast cups 3.

In the front lower area of the brassiere 1 beneath the breast cups 3, the front piece 2 is closed off by a bar 7, which merges at the side edge of the breast cups 3 into an attachment piece 9, to which the side pieces 11 are connected in a connecting seam 10. At the back ends of the side pieces 11, pieces 12 are arranged for a back closure, which consists for example of hooks and eyes.

The brassiere in accordance with the invention also has shoulder straps 13, which extend from a front strap attachment 14 at the upper edge 15 of the breast cup 3 to a rear strap attachment 16 on the back end of the side pieces 11.

In the front view of a brassiere in accordance with FIG. 1, a flat side supporting element 17 is recognizable, which extends from the lower edge 5 of the breast cups 3 over their side edge 8 to the front supporting strap attachment 14. This flat, side supporting element 17 consists of a material made of fibers of a polytrimethylene-terephthalate (PTT) that is known under the trademarked name of “Solotex.” In this material, the fibers are not brought into a two-dimensional shape by weaving, but by bonding using a coating of plastic or another binder. This material, called “Solo sheet,” can be brought by application of heat into a certain three-dimensional shape that it retains without deformation even after numerous washings.

This supporting element 17 is thus especially suitable, not only through its shape and disposition on the side edge 8 of the breast cups 3, for guaranteeing the desired lifting and supporting of the breasts over the long term.

While FIG. 1 shows a front view of the brassiere in accordance with the invention, FIG. 2 shows an inside view from the wearer's body. Here also the front piece 2, breast cups 3 and center tie bar 4 are recognizable, as well as the side pieces 11 and the shoulder supports 13, which extend from the front supporting band attachment 14 to the back strap attachment 16.

FIG. 2 also illustrates how the brassiere 1 in the lower area of the front piece 2 along the tie bar 7 can be stiffened by an optionally elastic band 18, which extends into the side pieces 11. Also recognizable here again is the connecting seam 10 between the side attachment piece 9 outside of the breast cup 3 and the side pieces 11, which depending on its shape, also can lead to stiffening of this area of the brassiere 1.

Whereas the breast cups 3 themselves, which consist in their essential areas of individual blanks of a bafting material, for example “Fiberfill,” have seams 19, 20 for creating a 3-dimensional shape, it is recognizable here how rod-shaped supporting elements also may be arranged in the outer side areas of the breast cups 3. Such a rod-shaped supporting element 21 is shown in FIG. 2, extending from the lower area of the side edge 8 of the breast cup 3 to a point 22 on its upper edge 15, adjacent to the front strap attachment 14. This rod-shaped supporting element 21 may have an additional supporting element 23, extending at an angle to it and shown in dotted-line outline, assigned to it; depending on the size of the brassiere 1 or the breast cups 3, three such rod-shaped elements may also be provided. These rod-shaped supporting elements 17 are appropriately held in channel-like pockets, which, similar to the channel 6 for the stiffening wire, are sewn onto the material of the breast cups 3.

On the basis of FIGS. 1 and 2, an exemplified embodiment of a brassiere is shown here in which both flat supporting elements 17 and rod-shaped supporting elements 21 are arranged in combination. In accordance with the invention, however, it is possible in any case, depending on the desired shaping properties, to provide either only flat supporting elements 17 or only rod-shaped supporting elements 21.

However, not only is the arrangement essential for the invention, but also, especially insofar as the lateral flat supporting element 17 is concerned, the material selection, which is made in such a way that the shaping property of the brassiere achieved by this supporting element remains in effect as long as possible, even after numerous washings. Since both the flat supporting element 17 and the rod-shaped supporting elements 21 and 23 involve component parts that do not necessarily need to be visible from the outside or that need to be protected from exerting uncomfortable effects on the body, these are logically arranged inside the breast cups 3, made of batting, which in turn are covered by a decorative material toward the outside and a lining toward the inside.

The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are to be included within the scope of the following claims. 

1. A brassiere comprising: a front piece having two breast cups; two side pieces that are configured to be connected together with a back closure; and two shoulder straps, which extend from an upper side edge of the breast cups to a back area of the side pieces, wherein the breast cups are stiffened in their lower and/or side areas, wherein, to stiffen the breast cups, at least one rod-shaped supporting element is arranged in their side areas, the rod-shaped support element extending from the lower side edge of the breast cups at an angle upward towards a point on the upper edge of the breast cups adjacent to the attachment of the shoulder strap.
 2. The brassiere in accordance with claim 1, wherein the rod-shaped supporting element is arranged in a pocket of textile material connected with the material of the breast cup.
 3. The brassiere in accordance with claim 1, wherein the rod-shaped supporting element includes a rod-shaped piece of plastic or metal.
 4. A brassiere comprising: a front piece having two breast cups; two side pieces that are configured to be connected together via a back closure; and two shoulder straps that extend from an upper side edge of the breast cups to a rear area of the side pieces, wherein the breast cups are stiffened in their bottom and/or side area, and wherein, for stiffening the breast cups in their lower and side area, a flat supporting element extending from the lower edge of the breast cups along its side edge to the attachment for the shoulder straps is provided.
 5. The brassiere in accordance with claim 4, wherein the flat supporting element, at least in its course along the lower and side edges of the breast cups to the attachment of the shoulder straps, is joined together with the material of the breast cups.
 6. The brassiere in accordance with claim 4, wherein the flat supporting element includes a blank made from a nonwoven material made of fibers of a polyester, especially polytrimethylene terephthalate, that is bonded or welded together.
 7. A brassiere comprising: a front piece having two breast cups; two side pieces that are configured to be connected together with a back closure; and two shoulder straps that extend from an upper side edge of the breast cups to a back area of the side pieces, wherein the breast cups are stiffened in their lower and/or side areas, wherein, to stiffen the breast cups in their lower and side area, at least one rod-shaped supporting element is provided, which extends from the lower side edge of the breast cups at an angle upward to a point on the upper edge of the breast cups, and wherein a flat supporting element extending from the lower edge of the breast cups along its side edge to the attachment of the shoulder straps is provided.
 8. The brassiere in accordance with claim 1, wherein the breast cups include a batting material.
 9. The brassiere in accordance with claim 1, wherein, along the lower and side edges of the breast cups, a stiffening wire is enclosed in a wire channel. 